The aim of this short proposal is to
change the English name of Pachyptila desolata
from “Dove Prion” to “Antarctic Prion”.

In the English-language
ornithological literature the small-sized petrel Pachyptila desolata has been called either as “Antarctic Prion” or
“Dove Prion”. However, use of the epithet “Antarctic” is much more appropriate,
because it recognizes that P. desolata
is the only species in the genus that breed on islands within the Antarctic
zone of surface water (south of latitude 60ľS), and has clearly prevailed over
“Dove” during the last 70 years in well-known reference books and field guides
(e.g. Murphy 1936, Watson 1975, Harrison 1983, Sibley and Monroe 1990,
Carboneras 1992, Enticott and Tipling 1997, Brooke 2004, Onley and Scofield
2007, and Christidis and Boles 2008). Moreover, the names “Dove Prion” or “Dove
Petrel” have been also historically applied to the species today known as Fairy
Prion, P. turtur,due to its
supposed dove-like appearance.

Comments
from Stotz: “YES. Dove
Prion has been used for turtur as
well.Antarctic Prion is
appropriate and has an extensive history of use.”

Comments
from Zimmer: “YES.Caio
makes a good argument for using Antarctic Prion.”

Comments
from Zimmer: “YES.“Antarctic Prion” is more appropriate, and avoids the potential for
confusion with turtur.”

Comments from Jaramillo:“YES – If you were going to call one of these
“Dove”, I would choose turtur. There is nothing particularly dove like
about desolata. Antarctic Prion has been around for a long while and
does actually serve as a better name for this more southerly breeding species.
However, like belcheri it does sometimes move well to the north
particularly on the Pacific Coast of South America, so the name is good for the
breeding distribution alone. That is not a problem for me. The fact that the
name has been used for a long time and is well established is the greater
pro-Antarctic point for me.”